The Agents Through Africa
by Harmony Valenka Smith
Summary: This is Book Four of The Agents Series and sequel to The Agents on Asia. It started out with a simple notion of adventure. The pattern the bullets made was recognized by many platypuses. It led to a little-known, ancient secret. Like with all secrets though, there is a price to pay for knowing them. Is it really worth it? Rated T for blood, mild violence, and intense scenes.
1. Prologue

**Welcome back, my peoples! This is book 4 of The Agents Series. I've got a little surprise for you guys in this chapter ;D I do not own ****_Phineas and Ferb, _****but I thank the awesome people who brought it into existence. All rights to all products go to their proper owners. So, please enjoy The Agents Through Africa :D**

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><p><span>Prologue<span>

There were no words. No chance of denial. This was the end. It was very bleak in that little mud hut. Phineas, Ferb, Isabella, and Penelope sat at a small ground-level table. Penelope held onto a cup of steaming liquid. It was very cold, which was odd for that time of year. Isabella nudged Penelope's shoulder and presented a Cat's Cradle to her. Penelope put her little fingers in and the two began moving the string about. Ferb was working on macrame with hay, his fingers working slowly on the project. Phineas just sat in his place, elbows on the table and hands to his cheeks, slouching with the most depressed expression upon his features.

"They should be back by now," said Phineas worriedly as he looked at the door.

Penelope was in the middle of winding string around as she said, "I do admit that this is longer than I had predicted of them to be gone, but they'll return. We have no worries there."

"What happens if they don't come back though? We've gotta go out there and look for them," said Phineas, rising and heading for the door. Penelope whipped the shoelace around and tripped the boy into falling on the ground.

"If I let you go after him, not only would I be breaking a promise, but I would also be sending you to your death." Penelope unwrapped the string from the boy's ankles. He went back to the table and sat back down. "Don't worry. If anyone can survive the horrors that await out there, it's my Perry."

Just then, the door burst open and shut to reveal little Maxwell. Fear was in his eyes and a bloody hand print was on his head. Penelope rushed to her son and enveloped him in a hug. Max shook with fear and hugged tightly to his mother. Penelope hummed a song to soothe him and it helped a little. "I saw Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Father and Rosalynn and..." he broke into a sob. Penelope hugged him close. She brought him to the table where the only source of light in that hut came from one small candle.

"It's going to be all right, Max," said Penelope, running her fingers through the fur at the top of his head (the non-bloodied part).

"No, Mother, I do not think it shall." Penelope looked to Phineas, trying to seek hope from the ever-optimistic boy. Phineas put out his arms and Penelope handed Max over to him. "Uncle Phineas, do you think everything will be all right?" The little platypus had formed a kinship with Phineas over the course of the adventure. He looked up to him. If Phineas lost hope... then all hope was gone.

Phineas smiled slightly. "I think it will be," he said. He still had a small glimmer of hope. That glimmer was only about as bright as the candle in the room though. Too much had happened. Even the smallest light can shine in the deepest darkness, but sometimes, when one is far enough away, the darkness stifles the light. Hope works the same way in bleak times. Little Max let out a shuddering sigh and hugged Phineas tight, his tears subsiding. Penelope went over to the bowl of water in the room and got a cloth wet. She dabbed this on Max's head, cleaning him off, but not before sniffing it. The gasp she made nearly took her breath away. "What is it?" asked Phineas.

"This- this is Perry's blood," said Penelope, her voice quivering. There was a loud banging at the door then. Everyone in the room jumped.

"They have followed me here. I had hoped they had not," said Max, his voice timid with fear. He hid his head in the crook of Phineas's arm. Penelope's face was already drained of blood from the fear in her heart that this experience had instilled, but now... she didn't know how much more she could take.

"Stay here, children," said Penelope. Children. That was a rare word for Penelope to use. It was clear her happy, calm state of mind was long left behind. This place... this experience had done well enough to help with that. She went to the door, humming to herself all the while. She edged toward the door as if expecting it to eat her. "_Ya da da da... ya da da da..._" Penelope winced as she gripped the door handle. She had her head turned away from the door, eyes shut tight. She was making incoherent noises, the noises of extreme nervousness... and fear. She yanked it open quickly, only letting herself be exposed to the outside. Nothing happened._  
><em>

Penelope opened her eyes to the dark, foggy night. She looked carefully and took a shaky step closer. She didn't dare to make a sound any more than necessary. She stepped closer, her feet feeling the fog tickling her toes. Her breath added to the fog as it went in and out deeply. She felt a shiver, then, felt something pull her leg into the dark. She screamed and grabbed the edge of the hut. Something had her. Phineas got up and grabbed Penelope's arms, trying to pull her in. Whatever it was had great strength. Then, whatever was holding her let go and she fell into Phineas's arms. She looked into the fog and saw Doofenshmirtz come up.

"It's okay, it's just me," said Dr. Doofenshmirtz. He came in, two boxes under his arm. They were both black wooden boxes and Penelope couldn't help but notice how like coffins they were. The scientist put them down beside the table and, as he did, one of the boxes lids popped open and Rosalynn rose out of it. Penelope and Isabella had screamed at this. Rosalynn jumped out of the box quickly, then shoved it off of the other one. She appeared to be really shaky, but nonetheless worse for wear. She went to open the other box, but something made her stop. She ran over to Ferb and hid by his side.

"Doctor, forgive me for asking this, but why did you bring my daughter back in a coffin?" asked Penelope.

Doofenshmirtz waved a hand, batting it away. "It was on hand... besides, I had to get them out of there somehow," he said.

"So, I can assume that in that one...?" Penelope asked, pointing to the other box. Doofenshmirtz nodded sadly. Up until this point, Penelope hadn't left Phineas's arms. Now, she jumped down and made her way to the box. She grasped the lid and shakily removed it. The lid collapsed to the floor with a clatter and Penelope looked inside the coffin to notice her husband, Perry. He was pale, wounded, and out cold. "Perry?" her voice was uneven with fear. She touched a hand to his face, which was cold to the touch. "What have I done?" Tears started falling from her eyes. "It was never supposed to be this way." She laughed bitterly and said, "And to think that this journey had started out so _happy_ and _warm_, and now... everything is _dark_ and _cold_. When did it all go so wrong?" Her mind went back to those first few days, the time before they had realized they had entered an evil land. A time of naivety and light.

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><p><strong>I'm sorry it had to get <em>that <em>spooky. I've been watching creepy game playthroughs and I recently played some creepy games, so... yeah. Also, you will notice that I typically don't get right into the drama in my stories. I begin with fairly light if not entirely light tones. Now, Perry's all out cold! Why is he out cold?! Anyway, perhaps it will all be cleared up in the next chapter. Please keep reading and reviewing to find out what happens. Until I update, you may relax and hold onto your favorite plushie while whispering "It's gonna be all right. It's gonna be okay." in your bed at night. Bwahahahahahaha! (Don't worry, I'm not evil.) Also, before I forget, it's my FanFiction anniversary in a few days. I shall be posting something special on my profile on the day, so keep a look-out ;) See you next chapter :D**


	2. Chapter 1: Light

**I tried. I tried so bloody hard. Paint just doesn't like doing what GIMP does. Well, at least Perry isn't blue. I hope you guys like the cover anyways. *Sigh* Oh, well. As for the story itself, I'm getting some vibes from you guys that the prologue wasn't very satisfying. I regret nothing. This story is going to be a bit darker in some areas than the last stories. I'm going to keep darkness to a minimum, but I'm just warning you now. Also, since Penelope set the scene for a flashback in the prologue, I'm going to go into that now. Surprise! We're going to go back to the beginning of the adventure to find out what happened. So, hopefully no one hates me and hopefully, you guys keep reading. If you choose to stay, then enjoy, but this is your last chance to turn back. Dun Dun Dun! Okay, storytime... now.**

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><p><span>Chapter 1: Light<span>

Penelope

"_I'm on my way now. I'm up high in the clouds, got nothin' but birds to see. It's the life for me,_" I sang. Perry had given me the controls so that he could go to sleep. (He was awake now, but I still wanted to drive.) We went in shifts like this. Now, we were right over Africa.

"So, now what?" asked Phineas from the backseat.

"Just hang tight and you'll live to see the 8th grade," I said with a laugh. It was a way of saying "Sit back." I was pretty mellow about it though. Phineas, Ferb, Isabella, Doofenshmirtz, Perry, the kids, Maxwell and Rosalynn, and myself were all on an adventure.

"Can you at least tell us where we're going?" asked Phineas.

"My boy, we are going to deepest, darkest Africa to find an ancient treasure. Surely you've heard the tale of the platypus warrior Tau?" Blank stares.

"Really? Wow," said Perry.

"Well, who is Tau, then?" asked Isabella.

"He is an ancient warrior from long ago. It is said that he fought some of the most dreaded monsters of our land, like the Drop Bear, the Yara-ma-yha-who, the Muldjewangk, and the Bunyip," I said.

"Didn't he also fight the Moolyewonk as well?" asked Perry.

"Oh, yes, indeed. I forgot about that tale. To think, I forgot the best tale of Tau," I said with a laugh.

"Oh, come on, you're just making those things up to get us all scared," said Doofenshmirtz.

"Oh, no, they existed. They may even still exist, lurking in the darkness. After all, Tau's name means evening or war. It meant he fought against the creatures in the dark that tried to do evil to others. It is most shameful of those creatures," I said. "Now that the creepy part of the legend is out of the way, here's the cool part: Tau had access to the Dreamtime."

"Whoa, whoa, wait, the Dreamtime was supposed to be long over, after the creation of the universe," said Perry.

"That's what I thought too, but after doing some studying, I have found that it is still very possible to enter the Dreamtime. For instance, let me ask you, how long was I dead?" I asked.

"I don't know, a few minutes, maybe five?" asked Perry.

"I was dead seven minutes and gone for seven days," I said.

There was a collective "What?!" from everyone.

"It's true. I went through a period in the spirit world that equated to seven days, all in seven minutes," I said.

"Who told you that you were dead for seven minutes?" asked Perry.

"That's not important. What _is _important is that these old myths are very real and very much still in existence," I said.

"But if the myth is Australian, why are we going to Africa?" asked Rosalynn.

"Simple: Tau was a hunter and he chased these monsters everywhere," I said.

"Across an ocean?" asked Perry.

"He had special powers. One of them was to go through the two different forms of time at will. Dreamtime allows for things you would never begin to imagine," I said.

"So, what does this have to do with the symbol that was ingrained into all of our heads?" asked Perry.

"I'm glad you asked. You see, Tau was one of the most intelligent platypuses to ever exist. As such, he would get bored, so he designed a treasure hunt for only the most brave and clever platypuses out there. That symbol that gets ingrained into all of our heads is the first clue," I said. I was really excited about this.

"So, why did you ask about how long you were dead?" asked Doofenshmirtz.

"I asked because while I was dead, I went to the Dreamtime," I explained. "Usually, only people who have the ability to travel or who are in favor with the spirits may go there."

"I thought you _were_ in favor with the spirits," said Perry.

"Well... there are some things I've been neglecting on account of the fact that they're impossible tasks. This is something I think we can do though," I said.

"What is the treasure, exactly?" asked Maxwell.

"No one knows. Some say it is Tau's armor. It was impervious to any sort of damage by blow or fire, yet it was light enough that he could go swimming and not drown. It's made of a special material that no one knows how to make, much less find," I said.

"Others say it might be an ancient weapon of his, like his sword or his spear," said Perry.

"Then, there's the big one: the source of his magic. Some say he got his magic from an amulet he wore around his neck. Others say he got the magic from the spirits and was forced to give the powers back for his successor to take them," I said.

"What do _you _think?" asked Phineas.

"I don't know. I wasn't told. I just hope it'll be half as exciting as I think it's going to be," I said. I looked at Perry and saw him smiling in that way I knew he did when he was thinking I was adorable. "My eyes are sparkling again, aren't they?"

"Not just sparkling, they're violet right now," said Perry. I looked in the rear view mirror and smiled. _So I am, _I thought.

"Well, we have to land soon, we're running out of fuel," I said. We landed in the midst of a savanna, scaring away multiple dik-diks (they are small antelopes, really small). "All right, I'm gonna go see if I can find Batini." I went onto all-fours and went to the nearest hole. It turned out, coincidentally enough, to be a meerkat hole. I tried to get in, but my body was a little bit too wide for the thin meerkat. I sighed and began digging. I heard Perry call my name, but I was too far along to care. I kept digging.

I was soon too far in to see the light of day anymore. By that time, I was wondering why I hadn't seen a meerkat yet. Then, I saw glowing red eyes and I immediately began backing up as fast as I could. When that wasn't enough, I struck upwards and dug up. I eventually made a new hole and ran back over to Perry. The creature that had followed me through the darkness turned out to be a meerkat with a birth defect that made his eyes red.

"_Hey, platypuses in Africa! Ha, ha! What will they think of next?_" said the meerkat. I stood up behind Perry and looked at the meerkat, confused. Another meerkat emerged from the hole, followed by another and another until we were surrounded.

"I think you started an uprising," said Doofenshmirtz.

"Batini? Does anyone know Batini?" I asked. A meerkat I recognized as Batini emerged from the crowd. "Oh, thank the spirits. I didn't think I'd find you." We embraced and she made a shrilling noise, the noise meerkats make, and I said, "Oh, no, thank you, I don't think anyone would fit down there." She made another noise and immediately began burrowing. The others followed suit until there was a hole big enough for a human to fit through. The sunlight got in pretty far in the big hole, but the passage just kept going from there. Batini shrilled again and I said, "Okay then." I waved a hand for everyone to follow.

The tunnel led to a huge main area that the meerkats had burrowed. Torches hung on the side walls, lighting the area a little. Batini asked us to sit down and wait for her to get some grubs for us. I was close to mentioning humans don't eat grubs, but she went away before I could say anything.

"What's going on?" asked Isabella.

"Batini is giving us dinner. Please be polite and eat at least some of it. It's poor manners to not eat what is served to you, especially here where they scrounge for everything they get," I said.

"Then maybe we should let them keep it?" asked Phineas.

"No, it is custom. Besides, Batini will help us if we are good house guests," I said.

"Don't you mean _tunnel_ guests?" asked Doofenshmirtz.

"I mean what I mean," I said, batting a hand at the question. Batini returned with a handful of grubs and we each took one. Some of us were more squeamish than others. It wasn't just the humans. These particular grubs were not among my favorites. When we each had one, Batini shrilled at me and I responded. "Well, of course we'd come here, Batini, why wouldn't we after that not so subtle hint you gave us back in America?" She seemed to consider a moment before shrilling again. "Uh huh... uh huh... _uh huh..._" I took Perry's fedora, much to his dismay, and stole a notepad and pencil from it. I wrote down the information and, when Batini finished, I thanked her by shaking her hand. "Thank you very much for your hospitality. We shall pursue this straight away." Batini shrilled something else and I responded with, "Of course." The humans and platypuses then left the underground.

"What was _that _all about?" asked Doofenshmirtz.

"Gentlemen, girls, we have our full first clue. The dots have been connected and now, _voila!_" I showed them the pad of paper.

"Hey, I know that marker," said Perry.

"Really? Could you take us to it?" I asked.

"Maybe. I'm not sure..." said Perry.

"Well, let's try," I said. "In the meantime, I know a guy nearby that can get us some shelter." We went off and if I hadn't thought it before, I certainly began thinking it more now that the sun was setting: danger lied ahead.

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><p><strong>All right! We have a breathing period! Perry's alive! Also, those monsters they were talking about are based on actual Aboriginal legends. Just don't look up the one that ends in "who" if you are weak of heart. It's really freaky looking... not that the others aren't weird too. Dreamtime is also a legit belief of the Aboriginals, but as Perry pointed out, it was the beginning of existence that this different time existed (as far as I understood from reading about it). So, fiction leaves room for elaboration and experimentation. I'm making my own Dreamtime! Dik-diks are legit animals too. They are small antelopes and if you want an example of one in the media, either Google the name or if you've seen <em>Madagascar 2<em>, there were tons of those things running around. They are so adorable! (But not as adorable as Perry ;) ) Please keep reading and reviewing to find out what happens next, thanks, guys :)**


	3. Chapter 2: Seeing Things

Chapter 2: Seeing Things

Perry

Penelope guided us to a valley that reminded me a lot of the valley I had landed in when on my last trip to Africa. When we got down further, I saw my suspicions were confirmed. We made our way around and soon found a tunnel leading to an open plain. There were a few trees here and there as well as a river. In the distance appeared to be a great lake.

"Great. This has all the elements of a trap," said Penelope. She turned to us and asked, "Have you ever heard of any lost paradises like Atlantis, Shangri-La, or Valhalla?"

"We actually re-discovered Atlantis two summers ago," said Phineas.

"Not in Danville you didn't. You have no idea where Atlantis actually is and, if I have anything to say about it, you never shall," said Penelope.

"But-" said Phineas. Penelope put up a hand.

"That wasn't Atlantis. Many creatures have sought to re-build the city and I even investigated the Danville Atlantis, but that is far from it."

"All right, so what's your point?"

"My point is this: they're not paradise places. The horrors contained within the real Atlantis would be enough to make a grown man wet the bed at night. I scarcely escaped Valhalla with my life and Shangri-La... the monsters there are enough to freeze your blood."

"Oh, come on, you're just messing with us so that we won't try to find those places," said Doofenshmirtz.

"You want proof?" We all nodded. "Well, I won't give it to you. Perhaps on another day when I feel like getting into danger, but this is probably going to be more than enough to last me a few months. This, like all other 'paradise' places, is not a paradise at all. Those who don't know this place call it _Roho Ardhi _or 'Spirit Land.' They take it from the legends of spirits disappearing into this place to rest, but that's not the entirety of the tale. This place is actually called _bonde kifo _or 'Death Valley.' This isn't like the one in the western United States either. This one earns its name _daily,_" said Penelope. We heard the wind move through the valley and, had there been a thought to turn back, we were unable to. The entrance to the valley was closed over by a giant rock that hadn't been there before. "Stay close to me, don't go near the trees, don't go near the water, and for goodness sake, don't antagonize them."

"Antagonize who, exactly?" asked Isabella. The valley shook as a great roaring echoed off the walls. There was no telling what it was.

"Do you really wanna know?" asked Penelope. We formed a chain with our arms, holding each other close, and made a break for the center of the valley. There were a few mud huts and I assumed one of them was where Penelope's friend was. We rushed toward one, but it was good we didn't head too close to the door. A lion bounded out of it with a body in its jaws. It appeared to be a cheetah cub, bloodied and unmoving. We stood close to the wall of the hut, watching the lion dig a hole and bury the body. It looked in the direction of the setting sun thoughtfully.

"I don't appreciate humans coming here, Rose," said the lion. He didn't look at us, but it was obvious he smelled us. It took me a second to register he was talking to Penelope since I had forgotten that her middle name was Rose.

"Siwatu, it is a most urgent matter that brings us here," said Penelope.

"Urgent enough to risk your life for _humans_?" asked the lion, Siwatu.

"We need shelter for the night, then, we are going to look for the first marker for the old legend."

"And what legend is that?"

"The Treasure of Tau." The lion stiffened and turned to us.

"Inside. Quickly." We didn't argue.

Once inside, the lion went into a corner and lay down. His tail swished back and forth. I didn't know if he was thinking about pouncing or if he was just thinking. He nodded his head over to a table and we sat down at it. The floor was surprisingly cool, despite the temperature of the day and the room.

"I cannot trust humans. You know that more than anyone," said Siwatu.

"True, but these humans are my friends... some of them are even family. Surely you can see it in your heart to trust them," said Penelope.

"Your word means much to me, Rose, but I'm not sure it means that much."

"What do they have to do to prove to you they are trustworthy?"

"They can stay out of my way." Siwatu growled deeply. "This is a dangerous land in which you have entered and, unless you do as Rose and I ask of you, you won't survive."

"Yeah, yeah," said Doofenshmirtz.

Siwatu growled again and Penelope said, "This is completely serious, Doctor. Creatures lurk in this valley, some of the worst in existence. All caution is needed... and caution cannot be had without complete sobriety."

"Okay," said Doofenshmirtz. He had a hard time keeping his voice even when he said that, possibly because of the look Penelope was giving him. It made me wonder all the more what was going on.

"Very well. I will choose to trust you humans, but if our trust is compromised, your safety cannot be assured," said Siwatu.

Penelope nudged me with her elbow and I said, "To hear is to understand, Siwatu." It was the typical agreement from our culture that was also used in farewells. Siwatu looked at us a moment before setting his head down to rest, then it got strange. His back opened up in panels and air hissed out of the body. It was... a _robot? _Out of the lion shell came a platypus.

The platypus had the same fur and appendage colors as me, but that was as far as physical comparisons went. He was four inches taller than me, making him five inches over Penelope. He had a much bigger chest than I did at any normal rate, but that did not make the rest of him look strange at all. He just looked like a fit platypus. Another key difference between us was that his eyes were so black that I could hardly tell pupil from iris, giving a spooky effect to his appearance. He wore typical tribal clothing and a small hat on his head. Around his neck was a necklace with a strange shape. The shape reminded me of the upper jaw of a lion.

"Rose, I am surprised you walk around unclothed," said Siwatu.

"I wear a body suit," said Penelope, pulling at the fabric. "My husband wears the same thing." She pointed at me.

"Your husband? Max, isn't it?" he asked me.

"That was my birth name. Most people call me Perry," I said.

"Hmm... if memory serves, it means wanderer. That makes sense for a man far from his home," said Siwatu.

"I could say the same for you," I said.

"You couldn't really. I've been here longer than you've been alive." He turned back to Penelope and said, "So, the Treasure of Tau you seek?" Penelope nodded. "How exciting."

"Perry says he recognizes the first clue," said Penelope.

"Really? Do tell," said Siwatu.

"Well, I was sure I saw it the last time I was in Africa," I said.

"Where?" asked Siwatu, sounding nonchalant.

"_Haijulikani Wadi, _the uncharted gorge," I replied. I just barely saw Siwatu stiffen, but it was temporary.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah..." Did he know anything about the treasure?

"Well, it isn't far from here. I will take you there in the morning. _Early._" He went back into the lion robot and the panels closed, leaving him in a cocoon._  
><em>

"Come on, we better get to sleep. Siwatu never jokes when he says _early,_" said Penelope. We all picked corners of the room to curl up and sleep in. Four humans, four platypuses, and one strange platypus in a lion suit went to sleep that night. I felt as if there _were _things out there, lurking. It was almost mute with my family in my arms though. If I had been alone, the unknown screeching might be some tree monster or those unknown animal sounds might be predators searching for their prey or that screaming... _screaming? _I had been half-asleep and half-awake, so I wasn't sure what I heard. I sat up straight and saw that it was Penelope. She was shaking and screaming the most frightful screams.

As Penelope thrashed about, Siwatu emerged from his suit and said tensely, "Silence her."

"If I try to interfere, it might get worse," I said.

"How worse?" Siwatu folded his arms a moment before he lunged for Penelope, but I grabbed her and made a shield out of myself. I was right. It got worse.

Penelope's eyes were glowing white and her eyelids were nowhere to be seen. Her voice made the most unnatural sounds as her mouth foamed and she stood up. My face went cold with fear. The kids were in the corner, huddled together and scared. "Doofenshmirtz, take the kids and get out of here!" I said.

"I wouldn't! The outdoors at night are far more formidable than this could possibly be," said Siwatu.

I looked at him with an expression of intensity. "You wanna bet?" I asked. "I'm not allowing my kids to see this."

"Perry..." said Penelope weakly. The white light in her eyes flickered a little before going bright again. I thought the light would leave, but it didn't. She stood still a moment before lunging at me with a battle cry and her fists raised. I ducked and tried to avoid her blows. She was fast. I had to keep her away from the kids. I grabbed her and pinned her to the floor. She writhed there a moment before turning to face me. "_I have seen the future,_" her voice sounded far away. "_One is a traitor, one shall become greater. One shall meet their destiny, one shall have clarity. One will reject silence, one will wish to be silenced. One shall cry and one shall die._" Her eyes faded back to their normal color and closed. The attack was over... and it was also just beginning.

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><p><strong>Siwatu means "born during a time of conflict." Any ideas on that? Siwatu seems to have something up his sleeve. What could it be? And the vision! Whoa! Who has what? Hmm... I'll let you guys theorize in the reviews ;) Adventure's just getting started, so please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)<strong>


	4. Chapter 3: Encounters

**Just a quick hint for you guys about the prophesy: Siwatu is not in the list. It's everybody else there. I'll let you guys connect the dots more, even though some of them are pretty obvious from the get-go. I think you guys will be surprised when I reveal who Siwatu really is (even though that too is obvious). None of it's obvious? Oh, well... I'll just have to keep tossing you guys some thread to follow, leading you to an ending of a character I've been plotting since... book 2, I think? Maybe even since the ending chapters of book one. Death is coming to someone BWAHAHAHAHA! Okay, I'm calm now :P Long Author's Note aside, please enjoy the new chapter ;)**

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><p><span>Chapter 3: Encounters<span>

Penelope

I got up that morning and stretched my arms wide, feeling the fur on my chest puff out in the air, and feeling a yawn creeping up my throat. When I finished stretching, I lazily blinked my eyes and got up. "Penelope?" I heard Perry say. I turned back to where he lay, looking tired and concerned.

"Did I have another nightmare?" I asked. I genuinely did not remember any of the events that had transpired last night.

"More like another vision," Perry replied. I looked around the room and saw it was just the two of us. "Don't worry about the kids, they're fine. Siwatu was okay with letting them be out in the daylight."

"What was the vision? Did I say anything?" I held my arms together, nervous. Perry sat up and looked at me with wide eyes.

"You don't remember?" he asked, standing to join me.

"No, it's kind of a blur. I scared the kids, didn't I?"

"You scared _me._" I looked at his face in the light coming in from the holes in the hay roof. There was a dark mark on his left cheek. I went to touch it with my hand, but he pulled away.

"Did I do that?"

"It's just a bruise, Pen. It's nothing."

"Perry, you have to tell me what happened."

He hesitated, then sighed. "You came at me and I managed to pin you before you reached the kids. You then started saying something that sounded like a prophesy."

"And what did I say, Perry?"

" 'One is a traitor, one shall become greater. One shall meet their destiny, one shall have clarity. One will reject silence, one will wish to be silenced. One shall cry and one shall die.' " I felt the blood leave my face as I remembered the vision. It was all so terrible and all so soon. "Do you remember any of it now?"

"I do... but for the sake of everything I hold dear, I'm not telling you."

"Penelope, you've always told me what was to come to pass, even if it meant my own demise. What makes this worse?"

"So many heart-breaking things, Perry." My eyes felt heavy with the weight of unshed tears. Before anything further could be said, we heard a spine-chilling scream erupt from outside. "Oh, no." I ran out the door, Perry fast at my heels.

"I told you not to sit under that tree!" said Siwatu. He had a makeshift spear in hand, trying to fend off the _thing _on Phineas's head.

I gasped in fear as the blood left my face again. "_Yara-ma-yha-who,_" I whispered under my breath in fear. "Why would you plant fig trees here?!" I asked Siwatu, outraged.

"Don't try aiming this at me!" said Siwatu. "It's not my fault Tau brought them here!" I growled, aggravated. Phineas was thrashing about as the red creature's tentacles sucked up the boy's blood. There was only one way I could think of to help. I jumped on the creature and locked my jaw on its flesh for all I was worth. The creature let out a scream and gradually began letting go. The group took the opportunity to get the boy out of there as the creature rolled about on the ground, trying to get me off of its back. I had learned long ago to keep my jaws locked tight until the threat was reduced to either one last move or running.

The creature finally managed to kick me off and, despite my intense fear of this creature, I bared my teeth at it, growling. Animal instincts had taken over. The creature's toothless mouth looked like a gaping hole. Despite its short stature, the creature could easily swallow a man whole. Its suckers moved about in the same way a cat's tail would. It was studying its prey. Its great yellow eyes blinked not from the top to the bottom like most creatures, but from left and right as its tentacles shrunk back into its fingers and toes. Its monkey-like slouch made it almost comical to look at. It tilted its head at me and, satisfied with how things went, climbed back into the tree.

I went over to Phineas as my animal instincts faded. The boy was pale and needed a transfusion or a miracle... one of which couldn't be achieved out here. I ran my hands over the boy's face and arms. He hadn't been swallowed, so that was good. "Siwatu, we're going to need your lion suit. We can't leave the boy like this," I said.

"Are you suggesting we travel with him?" asked Siwatu.

"You and I are the only ones capable of surviving the creatures and we know the most about the treasure. With that said, we should stick together at all times."

"Understood." He cupped his hands and made a bird call, summoning the robot to us. We carefully put Phineas inside the suit (it happened to be quite roomy).

"It is lucky he hadn't been swallowed," I finally voiced aloud.

"Lucky?! How is he supposed to survive this?!" asked Perry angrily.

"He _will _survive. He's not the one who's supposed to die later," I replied.

"I wouldn't find it acceptable for anyone in our company to die!" he said.

"I understand that, Perry, and neither do I, but there is hope."

"What kind of hope are we looking at here? Something we can get to or something transcending?" asked Isabella, just as upset as Perry.

"A little of both," I replied mysteriously. To Siwatu, I asked, "Can you make this as smooth as possible for the boy?"

"Motion stabilizers always made the trip comfortable for me," said Siwatu.

"All right then, let's go," I said. We started heading toward the edge of the valley, back to where we had originally entered.

"Wait a minute, if that thing was here, wouldn't that mean that those other things are here as well?" asked Doofenshmirtz.

"You can bet your self-destruct button on that, Doofenshmirtz," I said.

"Man, and I thought _Der Kinderlumper_ was bad..." said Doofenshmirtz. I couldn't help thinking: _You'll wish Der Kinderlumper was here before this is all over. _"So where are we headed?"

"There's a spirit cave not far from here. Penelope and I will consult with the spirits to see what can be done about the boy's condition. I assume that's the priority right now?" Siwatu turned to me.

"Yes, Siwatu," I replied reluctantly. I agreed that saving Phineas was more important than the treasure... but what if the treasure _was _something magical that could save him? On the other hand, there was also my iffy relationship with the spirits to consider. I felt chills riding through my bones just thinking about it.

Siwatu knew of a tunnel that was a little cramped, but able to get us back into the main valley. It was only a few turns until we were in _Haijulikani Wadi. _"So, Max Sr., where is this thing that you saw?" asked Siwatu.

"It shouldn't be too much farther," replied Perry. He led us to another small space. "I hid here to try to keep my cover. I guess it didn't turn out all that great since everyone got put in danger." As the cave went on, it got darker. "I could have sworn it was right- Hey!" There was no more light and I assumed Perry ran into something. I rolled my eyes and sighed. I took out a lighter from my jumpsuit and lit it, illuminating the darkness. "Now it was very brief, but- there!" The ceiling was barely high enough for the platypuses present. The humans were crouching to even fit.

"Good find, Perry," I said.

"Yes, it's all rather opportune, as if you were meant to find it," said Siwatu. I didn't like the look he had on his face then. It was a suspicious and judging look.

"All right, so if I remember correctly, this symbol is meant to be a map or trail marker or something," I said. Perry scrutinized it and I let out a sigh. "This won't mean anything if we don't find that spirit cave. Where did you say it was, Siwatu?"

"I didn't," he replied.

"All right, then where is it?" I asked.

"I don't know. Only those who are called to the cave may go there."

"You're not being helpful at all."

"Hey, guys," said Perry.

"I'm not being helpful? It's not my fault the boy is in such a critical state! I tried to help!" said Siwatu.

"Oh, yeah right," I replied.

"Hey, guys," Perry said more insistently.

"What?" Siwatu and I asked impatiently.

Then, I noticed what Perry was looking at. "These- these are the symbols of our language. How could no one have noticed this?" I asked incredulously.

"I had to dust it off," said Perry.

"Well, at any rate, this doesn't make much sense. _Blue flying water consumes red summer fire. What remains?_" I read.

"Isn't this in reference to a spirit ritual?" asked Perry. I felt my mind go blank in confusion. "Well, I'm just saying that this reminds me of when Doofenshmirtz returned to his human form after being the Minotaur. Rays came down from the sky that looked like water."

"All right, so what's with the red summer fire?"

"Maybe it's in reference to someone who's going to be transformed."

"But who exactly is a red summer fire, assuming all of this is true?" We both thought on it.

"Phineas." Once he said it, I knew it to be true. He looked away toward where we had entered the cave. "And I know just where to go for this. Come on." We all exited the cave, following Perry's lead. There was something very odd about all of this. I believe Siwatu is right. I believe that it might just be that Perry was meant to find the clues. Perhaps, even, the treasure. I also believe that Siwatu is not all he appears to be. He appears to know more than he's letting on... and every step we get closer to the treasure, the more defensive Siwatu becomes.

* * *

><p><strong>What does it all mean? Find out next time in The Agents Through Africa! Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)<strong>


	5. Chapter 4: Blast from the Past

Chapter 4: Blast from the Past

Perry

It wasn't the night that made this place dark. I knew it wasn't but early afternoon when we had entered their realm. The trees shaded the area, making it darker than the darkest night. The lion robot walked beside me, its eyes shining through the darkness... but only a little. We had entered a jungle, a jungle of the unknown. As much as Penelope feared any loud, booming sounds that reminded her of gunfire, she also lived in a great state of fear toward the unknown. The darkness was ripe with the unknown. Sounds heard in nightmares and sounds we wished we could safely identify echoed through our ears. Every screech, roar, and moan set new chills into our spines. All of us, that is, except Siwatu.

"Come along, then, Maxie, we're losing daylight! While we may not know the difference between night and day, the creatures that reside here do," said Siwatu.

"Quiet! I need to concentrate," I said tensely. A voice, unfamiliar yet all the while feeling familiar called out to me, urging me forward. It guided me, but I knew not where.

"Dear heart, I hate to press you, but how much farther?" Penelope asked, trying to sound brave behind me. I reached for her hand and, after a small flinch, she took my hand into hers. The children were huddled close to her, afraid to lose their mother again.

"It'll be all right, Pen. I promise," I said.

"I fear strange things linger here, things that would probably be better left buried," Penelope said quietly. Before I could question her, the lion broke through some more vines and we wound up in a clearing. It was lit in a light of night. "We shouldn't be here," Penelope whispered.

Not far into the clearing, I noticed a fenced-in area. There were gravestones therein. The fence was tall and made of black iron, its base was stone. The gate to the area had a skeleton in a red and gold bell boy's suit. Cobwebs surrounded the skeleton as if it hadn't been touched in years. Its left bony hand pointed to a sign to his right, which was to the left of the gate.

We all stood before the skeleton and the gate now. I blew off the dust from the sign and wiped off the remainder with my hands. I was able to read it easily since it was in the old Australian language Penelope and I had been raised with. " '_Only the dead may enter here. Caution to the living, for these are the last kind words they'll hear,'_" I read.

Then, the wind blew strong against us a moment before dying down again. The skeleton creaked and then began moving. It let out a raspy gasp and gave out an even raspier: "_Tickets, please..._"

I heard Penelope gasp behind me. I turned to her as she pulled out an aged piece of paper with blood stains on it. She shakily handed it to the skeleton. Its tall structure bent down and retrieved it. "_Died and now alive again..._" He let out an exhale as he punched the ticket with a rusty ticket punch from his pocket. "_Come... there is something you must see..._" He took Penelope by the shoulder and jerked her away from the kids.

"No!" cried out Max.

"Mom!" cried out Rosalynn. Penelope looked back to us and put up her hand in reassurance before following the skeleton's lead past the gate. The gate never opened to let them through, they just faded through it like a sand storm... only instead of sand... they were ashes.

* * *

><p><span>Penelope<span>

I woke up, gasping for air as if my lungs had been long deprived of it. I knew I hadn't died again, but it felt so much like it that it caused me to pause a moment. In pausing, I looked at where I was. It was a small broom closet decked out in white. I looked down at myself and noticed the body suit of before had been replaced by a nurse's uniform. My head had on a wig of shoulder length light brown hair, atop of which was a nurse's hat. My feet had on painful heels. _What did I get myself into this time? _I thought. I got up, but found it painful to do so.

When I was finally able to support myself on my feet, I noticed a mirror on one of the shelves. I looked at myself and didn't recognize the face in the mirror. I was a platypus with the right colors, but my eyes and face were entirely different.

I looked over to the door and decided to step outside, if only to see what was going on. When I opened the door, I looked warily up and down the hall. It all felt like some surreal dream that I needed to wake up from. There were very few people in this place. I realized through the smell and the overall cleanly structure that I was in a hospital. I heard a scream come from my right and decided to head for that.

As I stumbled along, I noticed I was heading into pediatrics. The body I had been put into was obviously not someone who had gotten along with someone recently. It was a challenge to even think. My head was pounding as if I was still receiving blows.

I stopped when I heard a familiar voice. "_My baby..._" the voice sobbed. My eyebrows went down in confusion. I went into the room and found Linda Flynn on a bed. She looked younger, but certainly not in the best condition. _Have I been sent to the past? _I wondered. There was a man at her bedside, rubbing her back and trying to sooth her. The man looked familiar, but different. I went to speak, but choked on my own throat. Whatever happened to this body in the fight it had, I couldn't speak.

"Hey, you!" came a voice outside the room. I noticed it was directed at me. I went into the room, but the man who called me out pursued me. He had a scalpel high above his head. "This will teach you vermin to come around our hospital!" I got in a ball on the floor and shut my eyes.

"Stop!" a new voice spoke. I looked up and noticed the man that was at Linda's bedside had come to my rescue.

"Dr. Doofenshmirtz, you know platypuses are filthy vermin and need to be exterminated," protested the man.

"Says you. There's something different about this one and I won't have you destroying it before I can get to the bottom of this!"

"Very well, doctor," the man snarled as he left.

I looked up at my savior as he bent down to my level. "I always did have a place in my heart for you creatures," he said. He picked me up in his arms and sat down in a chair. I couldn't help feeling desperately confused at all of this. "My name is Dr. Hans Doofenshmirtz. You no doubt recognize the name due to my younger twin, Heinz, who is a scientist in the field of new technology. The Doofenshmirtz name is rather successful in Danville... but, unfortunately, neither Heinz nor myself have been able to successfully bear an heir. Until today, we have had only daughters. Now, the doctors here tell us that we'll lose our son...we never even got a chance to name him."

My mind was reeling and I didn't know what to think. That is, until I saw the pad of paper and pen in Hans's coat pocket. I grabbed them in my hands and began writing frantically. _What is the date today? What of your brother, Roger? _These questions were primary.

Hans looked at my note and squinted in confusion. "The day is July 15th, 2000 and the only brother I have is Heinz. I mean, we almost had another younger brother or sister some time ago, but whichever it would have been... was lost before it was born," replied Hans sadly. My eyes widened in realization. _I am in the past, _I thought. _But how is it that I never heard of Hans and Roger was never born? _

I wrote more on the notepad: _What is happening to your son? _Hans looked at my question and gave a heavy sigh. "They say he's too weak... they say... he might die." Linda continued crying and Hans reached out a hand toward hers. _No... I won't accept this. I can't. _I wriggled out of Hans's grip and ran out. I heard Hans coming after me.

I soon came to a room with a small baby inside a containment box. The faint red hair and triangular head told me all I needed to know. It was Phineas. I put my hand on the box. I was startled out of my thoughts by the slow, yet very loud beeping of the heart monitor. He was near dead. I looked back to the little one. _No. NO! _My mind screamed. I reached into the box and took the child into my arms. That was when Hans came in the door.

"What are you doing?" Hans's voice was one of horror. _And here I thought he trusted me, _I thought sarcastically. _I have to do something. _I looked at the small Phineas. He groped at me with small hands and cooed quietly. I held him in my arms and felt maternal instinct kicking in.

I found my voice. It was scratchy, but I found it. "_Aw... he's so adorable!_" I said. I knew Hans couldn't understand me, but I was just... caught up in the moment. It made me realize then just how much I wanted more children.

Phineas grabbed my hand and I smiled. "_He's doomed to die, you know,_" came a voice. I looked around the room, but I couldn't see anyone else. Baby Phineas let out a small cooing sound before snuggling up to me. I felt his breathing slow down.

"_No. No, no, no. Why? Why is this happening?_" I asked. After my outburst, I went into a brief coughing fit.

"What- what are _those?!_" Hans asked, pointing to the wall with a trembling finger. I turned around and noticed two spirits. They were only a little above me in height. They might very well have been the same height as Phineas as I knew him in my timeline.

"_Give us the child,_" spoke one of them. They were hooded and glowing purple. The hands reaching for the child were a dark white underneath the purple glow.

"_What good does this child have to you dead?_" I asked. It was true, the child's heart had stopped beating.

"_He is doomed,_" replied the same one who had said it before.

I cleared my throat. "_I know this boy, and I come from a time where he is alive and well,_" I said.

The spirits looked at me, as if curious, but their answer carried that same omniscient tone all spirits seemed to have. "_We knew you were from the future. We need you to decide how much you are willing to save him. How far are you really willing to go?_"

"_I share neither a bond of kinship nor malice toward the boy, but I have a place in my heart for all living creatures. I won't let you take him._"

"_It won't matter anyway. What must happen is this: the father will give his soul instead. This will keep us at bay so long as no one of his blood ever crosses the boy's path. If this happens, the child's doom is renewed._"

My eyes widened. If this is what happened to the boy's father... "_No. This can't be right. None of this can be right._" My voice was cracked for more reasons than one.

"_You have another way out of this, you know. Just give us the child's soul and we'll leave you alone._"

"_Wait! Let's make a deal!_" Spirits are suckers for deals, but they always come at steep prices. "_This boy cannot die because he is meant for something so influential that the universe itself will bend to help lead him on his path. I have seen these things firsthand. Something is coming soon in the timeline I am from and to risk it would be more wrong than right._" I coughed again. The spirits waved their hands toward me and I felt my throat relieved. I could talk more easily.

"_You want us to spare the boy, but you do not realize who we work for..._"

"_I realize fully who you work for, which is why I ask of you to let time continue as it will. I will then hide the boy from your sight._"

"_In every deal, there is something beneficial to both parties. If we let time continue and if we let you take the boy from us, then what is our reward?_"

"_Spirits shouldn't seek reward, but you are correct. In any deal, both sides must get something. Therefore, after the ceremony to hide the boy, you may have my magic._"

They laughed. "_Your magic? You are but a speck to us._"

"_What would you have me give?_"

There was a moment of silence as they considered. "_Your son's innocence. His knowledge and purity are too great and they must be contained._"

"_What would that do to him?_"

"_It would slowly drive him mad. We see him taking up a horse and a gun... and he is dressed in white paint._" They paused. "_It would do you ill to change what must be done._"

"_I understand... even though it pains me. Just let time continue as it must._"

"_We... have a deal then?_"

* * *

><p><span>Perry<span>

It was not a good situation. The entire graveyard seemed to have a field around it. While it didn't harm us physically, it made us uncomfortable to go near. I decided the only thing we could do was wait. So, we sat in the grass and waited, for I knew that the only way we were going to save Phineas was if we could get him among the spirits within the graveyard. I knew this had to be done, I just wasn't sure what it was nor how moral it would be. I lied down in the grass and puffed out a sigh. Things were so much easier when I was just a platypus for my owners. Now, I was not only a not-so-secret agent, but I felt as though I was becoming some warrior in a battle yet to be fought. It was unnerving, yet...

"Hey, guys," came a voice from the graveyard. Penelope was just outside the gate, a weary smile on her face. I got up and ran to her. I brought my arms tight around her. "I'm all right, Perry."

I pulled away and looked at her. "What happened?" I asked.

"It's all right. I've taken care of it as best as I could." She paused.

"What is it?"

"We need to go in... but it's not going to be easy."

"What do the spirits intend to do to Phineas?" I asked her quietly.

"I cannot tell you that." She paused again. "We have to come back tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?! Pen, Phin won't make it that long."

"He will. The spirits won't let him die."

"Why?"

"Because I said so. Now, trust me, it won't even feel like that much time has passed."

"What do you-" it was the last thing I was able to get out before Penelope waved a hand over my eyes and I was put into a deep sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, what shall happen now, hm? Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)<strong>


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